UTSA men play with ‘spirit,’ rally in the final minutes to down VMI

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10 Preston Turner celebrates after hitting a shot in the final minute of the game. UTSA beat VMI 70-68 in non-conference men's basketball on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA guard Preston Turner celebrates after hitting a game-clinching three-pointer with eight seconds remaining. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

In the past few years, the UTSA men have faced a number of situations similar to Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center.

Down by seven points with 16 minutes remaining? Down by four with less than two minutes left? The Roadrunners have been known to fold more than a few times under such stress.

Not this time.

Playing for an acting head coach in only his second week on the job, with everyone in the building in the home opener hungering for the first victory of the season, UTSA gutted it out and won the basketball game.

UTSA coach Nick Bowman. UTSA beat VMI 70-68 in non-conference men's basketball on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA acting coach Nick Bowman won his first game as a college coach when the Roadrunners rallied in the second half to down the VMI Keydets. – Photo by Joe Alexander

The Roadrunners downed the VMI Keydets 70-68 by out-hustling and ultimately outscoring the visitors 38-29 in the last 16:09. In addition, they also won the final 1:49 by a score of 8-2, bouncing back from a season-opening loss at San Jose State and handing acting coach Nick Bowman his first victory.

“I just thought our team played with an incredible spirit the entire game,” Bowman said. “It’s something that we talked about since Monday, was just playing with a joy, playing for each other. We know this is a special group of kids that enjoys being around each other and playing for each other, and we really tried to get that back.

“And that’s not easy to do when you shoot 41 percent from the field at home and go seven for 30 from three. I think we were down four and went on a 5-0 run there late and I don’t think we gave the (lead) back. It says we had a 9-0 run. I don’t remember a run that big, so it’s good that we finally got that. It’s what we were saying in huddles, that it was coming.

“I’m just really proud of this team with everything that’s happened. They have stayed the course. We wanted to play well for our fans and I thought they did that today.”

Guards Demari Williams and Preston Turner knocked down three-pointers in the last minute as the Roadrunners (1-1) won for the first time since third-year head coach Austin Claunch was suspended on Oct. 28. Claunch is on indefinite suspension in the wake of his arrest for driving while intoxicated.

As the university reviews Claunch’s situation, Bowman, who came to UTSA as an assistant on the new staff in 2024, has been promoted to acting head coach. And on Saturday, his players rewarded him with his first win.

Williams and 6-foot spitfires KJ Tenner and Josiah LeGree led the Roadrunners in scoring with 14 points apiece. Hoping to split in a road trip to Texas after a Thursday night loss at SMU, the Keydets (1-2) led for most of the game but couldn’t hold off the Roadrunners.

Guard TJ Johnson paced VMI with 17 points, while backcourt mate Rickey Bradley scored 16 to go along with 10 rebounds.

5 Demari Williams celebrates after hitting a shot in the final minute of the game. UTSA beat VMI 70-68 in non-conference men's basketball on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA guard Demari Williams, a transfer from Houston Christian, hit a three pointer and passed for two assists in the last two minutes against VMI. He finished with 14 points off the bench. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Early in the second half, the Roadrunners’ defensive pressure started to wear on the Keydets. Trailing by seven, they surged on a 9-0 run, initiated when Williams hit a short jumper in the paint. Later, LeGree drove and threw down a dunk. Williams followed that with a drive and another bucket.

With the crowd starting to get loud, Tenner had everyone roaring when he collided with burly VMI guard Joao Ponzo and landed flat on his back. As the whistle blew on Ponzo for an offensive foul, Tenner was on the floor screaming in triumph.

On the ensuing possession for the Roadrunners, Shey Eberwein drilled a long three that put the Roadrunners on top, 41-39.

UTSA’s play at the end of the game was equally focused and intense. Bradley, billed by one national magazine as a preseason MVP in the Southern Conference, drove for a bucket that capped a 7-0 run for VMI. When it fell, the Keydets led 66-62 with 1:49 remaining.

On the other end, the Roadrunners executed the offense with Williams feeding power forward Mike Broxton for a layup, trimming the lead to two. From there, Williams just kept making plays.

First, he knocked down a three with 58 seconds left to give UTSA a one-point lead. Next, he assisted again, swinging the ball to the wing where Preston Turner hit another three to push the Roadrunners in front, 70-66, with eight seconds remaining.

Williams, a transfer from Houston Christian, did a lot of damage in a short amount of time in the first game he’s played at home for the Roadrunners.

0 Josiah LeGree. UTSA beat VMI 70-68 in non-conference men's basketball on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Six-foot guard Josiah LeGree, a transfer from Morehead State, scored nine of his 14 points in the second half. He had a dunk in a 9-0 run. – Photo by Joe Alexander

In scoring 14, including 12 in the second half, he did it in 17 minutes off the bench by hitting six of eight shots from the field. He also had two steals and two assists.

Asked how it feels to secure the first victory for Bowman, Williams said, “It’s huge. It’s a great feeling. You know, our team is just staying connected right now. We really lean towards each other. We just come together, and I feel like we did that tonight, and we’re going to continue to do that to be a great team. I’m excited for what’s to come.”

LeGree also came off the bench and scored nine of his 14 after intermission. He added four assists (against two turnovers) and four rebounds.

Asked what it’s been like to experience a chaotic two weeks culminating in an emotional victory, he said, “It’s the first of many. We got a lot of things to learn about, but our team is our strength. Throughout this week, we got closer and closer. We got to trust coach Bowman. We got to trust the coaching staff, because they’re in a new position, just like us. Only way we going to win is if we figure it out together.”

First half

Guard Rickey Bradley produced eight points and three rebounds before intermission as the Keydets played a physical style, drew fouls and forged a 35-31 lead. The Keydets hit 12 of 17 at the line against only two of four for the Roadrunners in the first half.

Brothers TJ Johnson and Trap Johnson, from Belton, each scored seven points apiece for the Keydets, who led most of the way by one or two possessions.

KJ Tenner paced UTSA with eight points in the half. The 6-foot guard from Memphis, a transfer from Murray State (Ky.), hit three of six from the field and one of two from 3-point distance.

Coming up

UTSA at Seattle, Wednesday, 9 p.m.
Texas State at UTSA, Sunday, Nov. 15, 7 p.m.

Records

VMI 1-2
UTSA 1-1

3 KJ Tenner. UTSA beat VMI 70-68 in non-conference men's basketball on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Guard KJ Tenner had 14 points, three assists and a steal in 35 minutes. He also forced a turnover in a decisive 9-0, second-half run. – Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA men aim for their first win of the season today against VMI

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA men’s basketball team opens its home schedule today at 4 p.m. against the VMI Keydets, and the Roadrunners will have plenty of room for improvement after dropping a 95-74 decision Monday in a season opener at San Jose State.

They’ll need to re-emphasize their defensive philosophy of picking up in full-court pressure, and they’ll need to get organized on rotations in the halfcourt so that they don’t get beat so much at the rim.

San Jose State had a easy time of it offensively, hitting 58.9 percent from the field, with easy buckets coming on the end of plays with crisp ball movement. The Spartans also made an efficient 10 of 26 from three.

On the offensive end, UTSA appears to have the personnel to put up numbers, especially at home. While three of their starters struggled shooting the ball against the Spartans, the Roadrunners’ bench was good, especially Shey Eberwein and Isaiah Coleman.

Eberwein scored 15 points and Coleman 12 in their UTSA debut. Between them, they knocked down 10 of 11 from the field, including a five-for-five effort by Eberwein.

“He’s a Houston kid,” acting head coach Nick Bowman said. “So obviously there was some familiarity with him and his family. He went to South Dakota and played up there and I think he just really wanted to get back closer to home. So, I think we were a good fit for him and he was a good fit for us in terms of the kind of player that he is.

“So, it went pretty fast. There was interest on both sides when he came on his visit. You know, I think he was really excited about his opportunity, and we were excited about what he could do here. Obviously (at San Jose State) he played great. Came off the bench. Nineteen minutes. Five for five from the field. Really good game. Four assists and one turnover.

“It was good to see him play well. Gave us a chance late in the first half and in the second half he was part of that group that really competed and made a small run. We gotta do more. But we were really happy with Shey.”

Coming up

VMI at UTSA, today, 4 p.m.
UTSA at Seattle, Wednesday, 9 p.m.
Texas State at UTSA, Sunday, Nov. 15, 7 p.m.

Records

VMI (1-1)
UTSA (0-1)

Notable

San Antonio native Xavier Silas, the son of former Spurs guard James Silas, is an associate head coach under head coach Andrew Wilson at VMI.

A backcourt mate of George Gervin, James Silas was known as ‘Captain Late’ in San Antonio during the 1970s for his ability to make buckets at the end of close games.

He played with the Spurs from their inaugural season in 1973-74 to 1980-81. Eventually, the franchise retired his jersey No. 13.

Xavier Silas, 38, is in his fourth season on the VMI staff.

After a standout playing career in college at Colorado and Northern Illinois, Xavier Silas stints with the Denver Nuggets, Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, Washington Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers before moving into coaching.

In the NBA, he worked with the 76ers in player development and later coached one year in Puerto Rico with the Guaynabo Mets. In college, Silas has been on staffs at the University of Missouri and VMI.

Lott-led UNLV women roll, 69-51, in UTSA’s season opener

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UNLV Lady Rebels raced behind guard Jasmyn Lott to a 69-51 victory Friday night, handing the UTSA Roadrunners a loss in their season opener at Las Vegas.

Lott, a 5-8 senior guard, exploded for 11 of her game-high 22 points in the third quarter as the Rebels expanded a six-point halftime lead to 16 going into the fourth.

UTSA never came closer than 15 the rest of the way.

Guard Damara Allen produced 17 points and six rebounds to lead the Roadrunners, who were held to 26.7 percent shooting from the field. In addition, they were hounded into 21 turnovers, though some of them early were unforced.

In UNLV, UTSA opened its season against one of the strongest mid-major programs in the Western United States.

The Lady Rebels had won 26, 31, 30, 26 and 21 games over the last five seasons under Coach Lindy La Rocque.

They lost their opener at home on Monday, falling 100-68 to the third-ranked Southern Cal Trojans. But they bounced back in their second outing, downing UTSA in a non-conference game for the second year in a row. UNLV won 66-39 last season in San Antonio.

Hopes were high for UTSA coming into the opener. The Roadrunners surged at the end of last season to win the American Conference’s postseason title. With the championship came the program’s first bid to the NCAA tournament in 17 years.

They played well early against the Mountain West Conference’s Lady Rebels, forging four-point leads three times in the opening period, only to fall victim to their ball-handling and shooting woes.

“I don’t want to over-react,” UTSA coach Karen Aston told the team’s radio broadcast. “It was the first game of the year. I felt like we would have some jitters and some uncertainty about ourselves. You know, it’s going to take us a good while to figure out who we are and how to play together.”

Aston said she thinks her team “has a long way to go” to reach its potential.

“I mean, we have a lot that we have to get fixed, and this schedule is not going to lend (itself) to having a lot of time to do it, so it’s going to be challenging for this group,” she told broadcaster Neal Raphael.

Despite giving up a lead and falling behind in the second quarter, the Roadrunners weren’t out of it as they went into the dressing room trailing by six at intermission.

Regardless, their offensive woes continued in the third period, and the game slipped away from them.

“We talked at half about how we were defending pretty well,” the coach said. “(But) we came out of half and got discouraged because we couldn’t score, and then our defense fell apart in the third quarter. All we did was foul in the third quarter. So, just a lot, a lot, a lot that we have to improve on.”

First half

Lott scored nine of her 11 first-half points in the second quarter, and the UNLV Lady Rebels outscored the UTSA Roadrunners 15-7 en route to a 27-21 lead at the intermission.

She hit back to back 3-pointers as UNLV took charge midway through the period.

UTSA’s offense went completely cold in the quarter. The Roadrunners hit only two of 13 shots from the field and committed six turnovers. At one point, they went more than four minutes without scoring.

The Roadrunners controlled the game for most of the first period. Hitting the boards hard, they finished the quarter with a 14-12 edge. Guard Kierra Merchant scored five points off the bench to spark the offense.

Records

UTSA 0-1
UNLV 1-1

Coming up

UTSA at San Diego State, 3 p.m.

Notable

The Roadrunners’ starting lineup scored 38 points. Outside of Damara Allen’s 17, the others struggled. Mia Hammonds, saddled with two fouls early, hit one for nine from the field. Idara Udo was one for five and Adriana Robles two for seven.

Praise Egharevba, a transfer from Oklahoma State playing her first game at UTSA, contributed nine points and three rebounds. She shot four for 10.

Hammonds, Allen and Udo each had four turnovers. As a team, the Roadrunners didn’t move the ball well, but even when they did, they seemed to have a hard time converting at the rim. Victims of several misses at the rim, the team finished with only six assists.

Guard Kierra Merchant, a transfer from Houston, scored five points in the first quarter but was held scoreless the rest of the way in her UTSA debut. She finished with five points, seven rebounds and three steals.

Maya Linton and Taylor Ross played in their first game since the end of the 2024-25 season after sitting out last year with injuries. Ross played 19 minutes and Linton 14.

Linton finished with two points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal. The fifth-year senior was zero for two from the field. Ross also scored two points and pulled down seven rebounds. Combined, the two were zero for seven from the field.

UTSA women open season at UNLV with Robles at the point

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Adriana Robles. East Carolina beat UTSA 65-58 in American Conference women's basketball on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA sophomore Adriana Robles says the team is confident leading into Friday’s season opener on the road against the UNLV Lady Rebels. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Adriana Robles was only eight years old when she moved with her family from their native Puerto Rico to Texas.

“When I first moved here, it was very hard, because (of) the language barrier,” said Robles, a sophomore point guard at UTSA. “I didn’t really know any English.”

It took a few years, but Robles, a young basketball prodigy, figured it out.

“I think with the support I had (from) my family, and (from) some teachers — they would cut me slack — that’s what really helped me the most,” she said. “Just accepting that it’s going to be a process to learn the language, I ended up learning it pretty quick.”

UTSA women's basketball coach Karen Aston at practice on Wednesday at the Convocation Center. UTSA is preparing to play UConn in the NCAA Tournament. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA’s Karen Aston opens her 19th season as a head coach, including her sixth at UTSA. She has led three different programs to the NCAA tournament. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Some 11 years later, Robles is establishing herself as one of the most talented young players on the Roadrunners, who open their season Friday night in Las Vegas against the UNLV Lady Rebels.

Her story is one of inspiration.

It’s a tale of a young woman with a dream. Not only did she overcome the frustrations of childhood to reach college, but she also contributed in her first year out of Fort Worth’s Fossil Ridge High School to a team that reached the NCAA tournament.

“I thought she did great for a freshman,” said Karen Aston, entering her sixth season at UTSA. “I definitely think it’s a big responsibility. It’s the reason you don’t see a ton of freshmen point guards starting. Same thing as quarterbacks (in football).”

Last season, Robles played in all of UTSA’s 34 games and started 17. Though she averaged modest numbers of five points and 2.1 assists in 22 minutes, her coach was more than pleased.

Splitting the point guard duties with senior transfer Ereauna Hardaway, she played hard. And with a dogged work ethic, she earned her playing time.

“Most really talented guards, and in particular point guards, have to do a lot of stuff in high school,” Aston said. “They get to college and now it becomes, ‘How do I run the team? How do I get this team to function at a really high level.’ (In college) it becomes a lot less about yourself.

Praise Egharevba at UTSA women's basketball practice on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

Forward-center Praise Egharevba, a transfer from Oklahoma State, is regarded as one of the team’s top newcomers. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“So that is the work in progress for any person that plays the point guard position, and I thought that she did a great job (with that).”

With only one season of experience as a collegian, Robles has much to work on to become a more complete player. For one thing, the coach would like to see her hit a higher percentage of shots from the field after connecting on only 36.3 percent last year.

Becoming more consistent from 3-point territory also could make her more of a threat. If she could elevate last season’s 23.7 percent norm a few notches, defenses would need to adjust, clearing space for UTSA’s interior scorers.

Aston, mainly, just wants to see more leadership from Robles, who in her first season wasn’t the most vocal player on the team.

“I think the transition now for her,” the coach said, “is just taking the reins, like, being in charge of everyone. And, ‘How can I raise the expectation of everybody around me?’ In the midst of that, ‘How can I make the right decisions for this team?’

Once again, the coach said Robles isn’t a finished product in such intangibles. “I think there’s going to be some highs and lows, just like there was last year,” Aston said. “It’s just part of playing that position.”

Taking the leadership role will require some finesse. At times, she will need to be a cheerleader. But Aston also said she might need to get on her teammates even if it makes her feel a little uncomfortable doing it.

Robles is ready to take the next step.

“Oh, yeah, for sure,” she said. “Different role this year. I have to be more vocal, so that’s what I’ve been trying to do … (I’m) just leading the team as much as I can … stepping into that role and being confident with what I’m saying, and not just being laid back.”

Who’s to say she can’t do it?

Some eleven years ago, she could barely speak the English language when she left Puerto Rico, and now she’s studying in UTSA’s College for Health, Community and Policy. She’s also starting for a 19th-year head coach who has taken three different teams to the NCAA tournament.

Speaking to The JB Reply by telephone on Thursday, Robles suggested in her comments that she thinks a transition to life in Texas might have been more difficult had she arrived as a high school student.

“I think it was easier to move when I was younger,” she said, “so that I (could) adapt quicker. It was definitely a challenge at first, but now all I do is speak English 24-7, unless I’m home. So, it was hard at first, but I picked it up.”

UTSA women's basketball sophomore guard Damara Allen at practice on Wednesday at the Convocation Center. UTSA is preparing to play UConn in the NCAA Tournament. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Junior Damara Allen is expected to slide over and play some point guard to spell Robles. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Coming up

UTSA at UNLV, Friday, 8:30 p.m.
UTSA at San Diego State, Sunday, 3 p.m.
UIW at UTSA, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 11 a.m.

Records

UTSA (0-0)
UNLV (0-1)

Notable

Energized by the return of All-American JuJu Watkins, third-ranked Southern Cal trounced UNLV 100-68 on Monday night in Las Vegas. The Lady Rebels return Meadow Roland and Jasmyn Lott from a team that defeated the Roadrunners 66-39 last December in San Antonio. The Lady Rebels held the Roadrunners to 27.9 percent shooting from the field. UNLV went 21-11 last year for the program’s fifth straight season of 20 or more victories under coach Lindy La Rocque.

To open the 2026-27 season, UTSA is playing in Las Vegas as a return game on a contract with UNLV, plus one in San Diego. UTSA added the road game at San Diego State to play two on the trip. Also, it’s a strength-of-schedule trip for the Roadrunners, who hope to win one or both to boost their national ranking. Such rankings could come into play in March if they hope to be considered for an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. The Aztecs, who won 27 games last season, are 2-0 after home wins over Cal State Fullerton (77-51) and North Texas (73-57).

The Roadrunners have strung together three straight seasons with winning records, all with trips to national tournaments. In 2023-24, they forged an 18-15 record and won a game in the WNIT. In 2024-25, they went 26-5 and claimed the regular-season title in the American Conference at 17-1. UTSA, which fell short of an NCAA at-large bid, lost in the first round of the WBIT. Last season, UTSA finished 18-16, which included a conference postseason title and an NCAA automatic bid. The team played at top-seeded UConn in the NCAA opening round and lost 90-52.

Returning starters include forward Idara Udo, Damara Allen, Mia Hammonds and Robles. Udo returns as a preseason all-conference pick in the American. Both Allen and Hammonds surged at the end of last season, helping lead the Roadrunners to five straight wins, including four straight for the conference’s postseason title. In a twist, Allen may need to slide over to help run the point this season.

Robles played for Puerto Rico’s under 20 squad last summer in the Santo Domingo Central American and Caribbean Games 5×5 championships. Puerto Rico won the title with Robles averaging 7.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists. She had eight points and six assists in the championship game against Mexico.

Adriana Robles helped lead Puerto Rico’s under 20 team to the championship in the Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games championship.- File photo by Joe Alexander

San Jose State runs past UTSA 95-74 in season opener

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for the JB Replay

The embattled UTSA Roadrunners opened with some intensity and stayed with the San Jose State Spartans for the first 14 minutes.

But in the season opener for both teams on Monday afternoon in California, the Spartans closed with a flourish to open an 18-point lead at the intermission, en route to a 95-74 victory at the Provident Credit Union Event Center.

UTSA played without head coach Austin Claunch, who was suspended last week after an arrest for driving while intoxicated.

Nick Bowman is the acting head coach while the university reviews Claunch’s status.

Building the lead to as many as 27 points eight minutes into the second half, the Spartans cruised the rest of the way.

Guards Mekhi Mason and Joey Chammaa, both newcomers, led a San Jose State offense that shot 59 percent from the field.

Mason, a 6-4 guard who played last year at Wake Forest, knocked down five 3-point baskets and scored 28 points. The 5-foot-11 Chammaa, a South Alabama transfer, scored 27.

Forward Robert Vaihola, in his return to the team after playing two years at Minnesota, produced a double double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

The Spartans had their way on the boards, out-rebounding the Roadrunners, 43-22

For UTSA, transfers Preston Turner from Eastern Illinois and Shey Eberwein (South Dakota) led the team with 15 points each. Isaiah Coleman added 12, while KJ Tenner had 11.

Bowman, working as a head coach for the first time in his career, told Andy Everett on the team’s radio broadcast that the Roadrunners allowed missed shots in the first half to affect their performance.

“We let it affect our attitude, our defense and we just spent too much time in the first half in defensive transition,” he said. “Shots didn’t go in (for) the first time. Preseason we hadn’t dealt with that sort of adversity where we hadn’t made more shots than the other team in the first half. That affected us.”

The Roadrunners shot 29 percent before intermission and 42 percent for the game. From 3-point distance, they started slowly and finished 12 of 34 from behind the stripe.

In the first half, UTSA had multiple good looks from distance, only to see the ball spin in and out of the rim. The Roadrunners finished the half 4 for 18 from deep.

First half

San Jose State shot 53 percent from the field and raced to a 45-27 halftime lead.

Mason scored seven of his 17 first-half points in the last six minutes as the Spartans hit the Roadrunners with a 17-2 run.

Coleman scored nine in the half for the Roadrunners, who were held to 33 percent shooting from the field and 26 percent from three.

UTSA started the game with Tenner at point guard, with Isaiah Watts, JJ Kelly and Turner on the wings. Chinedum Okpukpara started in the post.

Records

UTSA 0-1
San Jose State 1-0

Coming up

VMI at UTSA, Saturday, 4 p.m.

Notable

Twelve UTSA players made the box score, with the 6-foot KJ Tenner leading in minutes played with 31. Isaiah Watts logged 28 minutes and freshman walk on Jayson Peterson 22.

Tenner, a former prep scoring champion in the city of Memphis, connected on five of nine shots and passed for six assists, but he finished -18 in the plus-minus column.

For Watts, the son of former University of Washington star Donald Watts, it was his UTSA debut after transferring in from Maryland of the Big Ten. Previously, he played two years at Washington State.

The grandson of former NBA star Slick Watts hit the first shot of the game, a three, but he finished 2 for 11 from the field and 2 for 8 from distance.

Peterson is the son of former NFL linebacker Julian Peterson. Jayson Peterson, a 6-8 walk on from Brandywine, Md., had four points, a rebound and a steal.

He played the extended minutes with 6-foot-9, 265-pound Ashton Smith on the sidelines, not ready to play yet following 11 months of rehabilitation from Achilles surgery.

Shey Eberwein played well, hitting five for five from the field, including two for two from distance, while passing for four assists. Eberwein, from The Woodlands, played 19 minutes.

Six-foot guard Josiah LeGree came off the bench and showed good instincts in guarding the ball. He had seven points, two assists and four turnovers in 15 minutes.

Little men with big hearts lead UTSA into a new season

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0 Josiah LeGree. UTSA men's basketball practice on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, at the practice facility. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Six-foot Baltimore native Josiah LeGree helped lead Morehead State (Ky.) to the 2026 regular season title in the Ohio Valley Conference. At UTSA, he hopes to play in tandem with his friend, 6-0 KJ Tenner from Memphis. “Me and KJ, we go out there with no fear,” LeGree said. “We only fear God.” – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Not much will be expected from Josiah LeGree, KJ Tenner and the rest of the UTSA Roadrunners when they walk into a California Bay Area gymnasium on Monday afternoon to face the San Jose State Spartans.

Even though the Spartans won only nine games last season, they’ll be favored against the Roadrunners in the season opener scheduled to be played in the school’s Provident Credit Union Event Center.

San Jose State fans likely already know that UTSA head coach Austin Claunch won’t be there, suspended in the wake of his arrest on a driving while intoxicated charge last week.

3 KJ Tenner. UTSA men's basketball practice on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, at the practice facility. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Six foot KJ Tenner grew up in Memphis and led the city in scoring twice at Cordova High School. He’s a transfer from Murray State (Ky.) – Photo by Joe Alexander

On top of that, acting head coach Nick Bowman, a longtime Claunch assistant, will work a game as a head coach for the first time in his career. All this, from a program that produced a tepid 4-25 record a year ago.

What the West Coast fans may not know, though, is the depth of inner confidence that LeGree and Tenner have built in themselves over the years.

All that the San Jose State fans may know about them is that both stand only 6 feet tall and weigh maybe a breakfast taco shy of 170 pounds.

But that is precisely why they shouldn’t be underestimated. Because, as both will explain, the two grew up in the game knowing what it felt like to be bullied by bigger players. To take an elbow to the face.

Or, to wear an ice pack on a swollen lip after a pickup game.

LeGree, a Morehead State (Ky) transfer from Baltimore, laid out the essence of the mentality in an interview last week.

He opened up when a reporter asked him what he would say to counsel young players, perhaps the smallest on their own playground, on what to expect when the bullies start to get physical.

“What if a big guy just lays you out on the playground?” LeGree was asked.

“Go get treatment,” the 6 foot, 165 pounder advised. “You just got to go get it. Treatment’s a good thing for you. Recovery is a key part to having a long stride of your career.

“Getting knocked down by those big guys. Running through them screens. Rebounding with them.

“Getting hit in the mouth. Bloody lips. All of it. That’s the fun of the game. It (comes) with the game. You just got to smile (through it all).”

Tenner, a Memphis native who played last year at Murray State (Ky.), admitted that he once heard the whispers around the pickup games. That he was too small. That he couldn’t play.

“Yes sir, all the time, because height is glamorized over the smaller guys,” said Tenner, who stands 6 feet and 170 pounds. “So of course I heard it a lot. I didn’t (pay) too much attention. I just believed in the Lord and believed in my abilities.

“Because … they may have height, but I have my quickness and my toughness about myself. So, I just always believed in my work and no matter how big a guy was, I still felt I had an edge over him.”

Both players showed off flashes of their abilities in a practice last week.

Tenner, once named as Tennessee Mr. Basketball at Cordova High School for his prolific scoring, received a pass on the right wing during a five-on-five drill.

0 Josiah LeGree. UTSA men's basketball practice on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, at the practice facility. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA’s Josiah LeGree has met fellow Baltimore native Muggsy Bogues and knows members of his family. Bogues, the smallest player in NBA history at 5-3, learned last week that he’ll have his jersey retired by the Charlotte Hornets in February. – Photo by Joe Alexander

With a taller player running at him as he elevated for a jumper, he double clutched to avoid getting blocked, and then swished it from 25 feet.

LeGree exhibited great explosion. In one sequence, he punctuated a fast break drill by throwing down a tomahawk dunk.

Alternately, during a halfcourt drill, he’d move on the dribble to find open space before elevating for an uncontested jumper.

“KJ (Tenner) and Josiah (Legree) are guys who are our primary ballhandlers,” Claunch said in an interview a few weeks ago. “They’ll play together a lot. They’ll play separate a lot. We’re going to play a lot of guys this year.

“So, KJ, (he’s) very steady. Just honestly an everyday guy … He’s got a great basketball IQ. He can really shoot it. You know, changes speeds. Josiah is a great athlete. Can really, really create space with the bounce and create shots for himself and his teammates.

“They’re both elite playmakers and passers. But they kind of do it in different ways.”

UTSA’s roster is stacked with big guards. The likes of Isaiah Watts, Isaiah Coleman, JJ Kelly, Preston Turner, Shey Eberwein and returning player Dorian Hayes are expected to compete for major roles. But LeGree seems to relish the idea that he and Tenner will play in tandem.

“Coach Claunch trusts us on the court together,” he said. “During practices. Even during our scrimmages, he trusts us … Me and KJ, (we’re) going to cause some problems for the American in that backcourt.”

Tenner said he likes to watch smaller guards in the NBA, like Jalen Brunson of the world champion New York Knicks. But he said he has also learned from playing with LeGree in practice.

“Man, I learned that it is truly possible,” he said, “seeing another small guard excel at this level, just seeing how much he believes in himself and how skilled he is. Just seeing a guy that’s doubted just like I am.

“The fact that he can come in every day and have the ultimate belief in himself. He’s just a fun guy to be around every day. Just seeing somebody as like-minded as me saying, we still have an edge.

32 Ashton Smith. UTSA men's basketball practice on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, at the practice facility. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA forward Ashton Smith won’t be available to play against San Jose State, a team spokesman said. Smith is rehabilitating an Achilles injury that he suffered last December at South Dakota. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“He’s a tough cookie. He’s a tough guard, just like me, and it’s fun to play alongside him.”

LeGree issued an animated response to a question about how he reached NCAA Division I, given his physical stature.

“God,” he said. “God is the first thing. That’s the only reason why I am here and why he wake me up every day. But, it’s like, with me and KJ, we go out there with no fear. We only fear God. Like, you can’t be 6 foot going against a 7-footer with fear.

“Like David and Goliath. David took down Goliath, because that was heart over height. Like, you got to have that will and power to go every day knowing you got the disadvantage to the person next to you.

“Me and KJ got big hearts. Like, we go and show you that no matter how tall, how strong you (are), that you’re not going through us or our team. Because, we’re the leaders on the team, and it starts with us.

“Having that mindset all these years, it develops to that killer mindset, where, you step on the floor (and if you’re defending) you’re not going to be able to do anything with me. No matter my size.

“Because I’m going to guard you. I’m going to score on you, and I’m going to have fun while I do it. And also talk mess while I’m doing it.”

Notable

UTSA forward Ashton Smith will not play in the opener, a team spokesman said in a text Friday afternoon.

However, Smith may be getting close to a return after working his way back from an Achilles injury.

The 6-9, 265-pound forward ran hard and even dunked in last Wednesday’s practice. Later, he did not participate in five on five.

The transfer from South Dakota is the grandson of the late Lucious Jackson, a San Marcos native who played on an NBA championship Philadelphia 76ers team with Wilt Chamberlain in the 1960s.

3 KJ Tenner. UTSA men's basketball practice on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, at the practice facility. - Photo by Joe Alexander

KJ Tenner started his career at the University of West Virginia before transferring to Murray State (Ky.) He said he moved to UTSA to become a focal point for a program that he believes can evolve into a winner. – Photo by Joe Alexander

San Antonio athletes surge into NCAA Division I women’s basketball

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Mia Hammonds. UTSA women's basketball beat A&M-San Antonio 106-51 in an exhibition game on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA’s Mia Hammonds, a junior guard from Steele, will lead the Roadrunners into a new season looking for a second straight trip to the NCAA tournament. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Editor’s note: Chloe Donnell, a Northwestern State (La.) sophomore from Boerne, tied an NCAA record with 14 three pointers in the Demons’ 120-40 homecourt win over Ecclesia College (Ark.) on Monday night. Donnell scored 46 points. Her name has been added to the list of local talent in NCAA Division I women’ basketball.

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

San Antonio’s strong presence at the highest level of women’s college basketball is growing.

Based on research by The JB Replay, at least 29 athletes from the San Antonio area have emerged on NCAA Division I rosters this season. Ten of those players are on rosters at power conference programs.

The numbers have increased steadily over the past four years.

In 2023-24, the local area had 18 players in Division I, with the number growing to 26, 26 and 29 over the last three seasons, respectively, according to the lists compiled since then.

The new season opens Sunday in Rome when Notre Dame takes on Villanova.

Meanwhile, both San Antonio-based programs will open this week. Incarnate Word plays Tuesday on the road at Tulsa, while UTSA travels to Las Vegas to take on UNLV on Friday night.

Another game of note is scheduled next weekend at the Frost Bank Center, the home of the Spurs, when three former San Antonio high school standouts return to San Antonio.

The game features fourth-ranked Duke (with Arianna Roberson and Bella Flemings) meeting the University of North Texas Mean Green (and Kalysta Martin) on Nov. 8, with tipoff is at 1 p.m.

The following is the list of players from the local area for this season. Most likely, a few names are missing. If so, they will be added as the new information comes to light.

San Antonio area players in NCAA Division I

Averi Aaron, Purdue, 6-1 junior forward from Boerne HS, transfer from Louisiana Tech

Hailey Adams, Rice, 6-1 redshirt senior guard from Clark HS

Delaney Arredondo, Nevada, 5-5 freshman guard from Judson HS

Cora Bennett, Grand Canyon, 6-2 freshman forward from Kingdom Collegiate Academy and Judson HS

Chloe Donnell, Northwestern State, La., 5-8 sophomore guard from Boerne, transfer from South Alabama

Bella Flemings, Duke, 6-0 freshman guard from Brennan HS

Rian Forestier, Southern Cal, 5-11 junior guard from Brandeis HS

Layla Conley, Rice, 5-8 senior guard from Harlan HS

Mia Hammonds, UTSA, 6-3 junior guard from Steele HS

Kristian Hieskill, Tarleton State, 5-11 freshman guard from Steele HS

Natalie Huff, Southeastern Louisiana, 5-7 redshirt sophomore guard from Clark HS

A’Maya Holton, Incarnate Word, 6-0 sophomore forward from East Central HS, transfer from Oral Roberts

Ne’Talya Hurst, Southeastern Louisiana, 5-11 freshman guard/forward from Steele HS

Madison Hurta, Houston Christian, 5-9 junior guard from New Braunfels (home school)

Vivian Iwuchukwu, Florida, 6-3 junior forward from Cole HS, Montverde Academy, transfer from Southern Cal

Kayla King, Houston, 5-10 sophomore guard from Judson HS

Kalysta Martin, North Texas, 6-2 junior guard from Providence HS, transfer from Texas Tech

Jordan Pete, Lamar, 5-6 freshman guard from Sotomayor HS

Aysia Proctor, Purdue, 5-8 senior guard from Clemens HS, transfer from North Texas, also UTSA

Mia Ramos, Southeastern Louisiana, 5-7 sophomore guard from Brandeis

Aaliyah Roberson, Alabama, 6-2 senior forward from Clark HS, transfer from TCU

Arianna Roberson, Duke, 6-4 redshirt sophomore center from Clark HS

Taylor Ross, UTSA, 6-1 redshirt sophomore forward from Brennan HS

Yasmeen Schmidt, Grand Canyon, 5-11 freshman guard from Cornerstone Christian

LA Sneed, Oklahoma State, 5-6 sophomore guard from Wagner HS, transfer from Utah

Endia Stigall, Incarnate Word, 5-5 freshman guard from Hays HS

Sammie Wagner, San Diego, 6-1 guard/forward from Reagan HS, transfer from Oregon

Sedelia Wilson-Larkin, Incarnate Word, 6-0 sophomore forward from Saint Mary’s Hall

Carleigh Wenzel, Virginia Tech, 6-0 graduate student guard from Antonian HS, O’Connor HS

Forward Arianna Roberson from Clark High School and guard Bella Flemings (from Brennan) are set to return to San Antonio next week. Roberson, Flemings and the fourth-ranked Duke Blue Devils will take on the North Texas Mean Green at 1 p.m. on Nov. 8 in The Foundry Classic at the Frost Bank Center. Guard Kalysta Martin (from Providence) plays for North Texas.

The list: San Antonio-area athletes in D-I men’s basketball

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The NCAA Division I basketball season opens Sunday in Rome, Italy, when Notre Dame takes on Villanova in the Eternal City Tipoff.

Tipoff is at 8:30 a.m. on Fox if you are tuning in from San Antonio.

Teams around the nation will play nonconference schedules for a couple of months, followed by league play running through early March. Followed, naturally, by the now 76-team NCAA tournament.

Before the first ball bounces on the hardwood, I wanted to take a minute to spotlight D-I men’s players from San Antonio area high schools.

If I’ve missed anybody, I’ll update the list when the information comes to light.

But, for now, here’s my list:

NCAA Division I men from San Antonio

Donovan Criss, UTEP, 6-5 freshman guard from Brennan HS

Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, Minnesota, 6-8 senior forward from Warren HS, previously at Colorado State, Arkansas-Little Rock

Kendrick De Luna, Cal-State Fullerton, a 6-10 senior forward from TMI Episcopal

Damarion Dennis, Texas Tech, 6-1 junior guard from Veterans Memorial, transfer from Wyoming, previously at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Christian Green, Stephen F. Austin, 6-6 senior guard/forward from Veterans Memorial HS, previously, Trinity University

Amare Guerra, Merrimack College, Mass., 5-10 freshman guard from Antonian Prep

Kaden Gumbs, Texas State, 6-2 senior guard from San Marcos HS

Latrell Hoover, Texas Tech, 6-11 redshirt freshman forward from Clemens HS

Vincent Iwuchukwu, Georgetown, 7-1 senior center, formerly of Cole HS

Austin Nunez, LSU, 6-2 senior guard from Wagner HS, transfer from UTSA, previously at Arizona State, Mississippi

Aidan Richard, Holy Cross, 6-7 junior forward from Reagan HS

Delano Tarpley, UTEP, 6-11 freshman center from Brennan HS

Isaiah Ward, UTEP, 6-6 freshman forward from Brennan HS

Elijah Williams, Baylor, 6-5 freshman forward from TMI Episcopal

(Local athletes who played in high school outside the San Antonio area)

Zach Clemence, Texas A&M, 6-11 graduate student forward, native San Antonian from Sunrise Academy, Kan.; previously at Kansas University

Editors’ note: Look for the list of athletes from San Antonio in NCAA Division I women’s hoops on Saturday.

UTSA’s Nick Bowman steps into a role as acting head coach

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The acting head coach of the UTSA men’s basketball program on Thursday expressed confidence in his ability to lead the team into Monday’s season opener at San Jose State.

For Nick Bowman, it’ll be an emotional moment as he steps in for suspended head coach Austin Claunch.

“I feel confident,” Bowman said. “We have a team of really, really good guys. Really, really good kids and good players, and more than that, we have a (coaching) staff of great men.”

UTSA assistant Nick Bowman has been elevated to acting head coach as the Roadrunners prepare for their season opener at San Jose State. – Courtesy photo

Claunch was arrested by Corpus Christi police at 6:07 a.m. Tuesday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. The third-year coach of the Roadrunners spent 13 hours at the Nueces County jail before his release at 7:05 p.m., a county spokeswoman said.

After Claunch ran a practice Wednesday at UTSA afternoon, the university announced the arrest and the suspension a few hours later.

In a news release, athletic director Dr. Lisa Campos said that Bowman would move up from his assistant’s role to be the acting head coach as the situation is reviewed.

Bowman, an Ohio native, has known Claunch for almost a dozen years and has worked on his staff at both Nicholls State (La.) and UTSA.

He seemed at ease as he discussed the situation with the team in a telephone interview Thursday afternoon.

Bowman said everyone in the building is leaning on each other.

“I’ve leaned on the team and leaned on the staff and tried to support them, really, with whatever I can do to help them be as comfortable as they can be as we open our season on Monday on the road,” Bowman said.

The coach said he met with several players individually Thursday morning but won’t see them as a group until Thursday night.

In initial meetings, Bowman said he told players that the Roadrunners won’t change anything.

“I just told them, in my mind, our style is our style,” he said. “We’re not one player and we’re not one coach. Obviously, coach Claunch is the leader, and he guides this program.

“But from a basketball standpoint, from a style of play standpoint, the guys know what we want to do. They know what we are trying to achieve every time we step out there.”

Coming off a 4-25 record last year, the Roadrunners have revamped the roster with 14 new players, heavy on shot-making and playmaking guards.

“We’ve had a great preseason, and I think what we’ve been able to do this summer and this fall, is to really develop the identity that coach Claunch has wanted to develop since he got here,” he said. “This group more than the previous two have bought into that. And so we’re just going to play UTSA basketball on Monday.”

Asked to describe the overall mood of the players, Bowman said, “I don’t know if I have an overall mood, but I think the players care deeply about coach Claunch. So the word I would use is just supportive. They’re supportive.”

The Roadrunners have posted a 16-44 record in the past two years, including 4-25 last season. Now with the uncertainty surrounding Claunch, Bowman fielded a question on what he would tell the fans, and he said to tell them the coaches remain excited about the program’s upside.

“We think we have made a lot of progress in this offseason with this team that we’ve put together,” he said. “We are incredibly excited about the 14 new players that have come in. We’re excited about our returner, Dorian Hayes. We feel like we have a balanced non-conference schedule, and it feels like a lot of work in previous years is about to really pay off for us.”

UTSA forward Ashton Smith will not play in the opener, a team spokesman said in a text Friday afternoon.

However, Smith may be getting close to a return after working his way back from an Achilles injury.

The 6-9, 265-pound forward ran hard and even dunked in Wednesday’s practice, but he did not participate in five on five.

The transfer from South Dakota is the grandson of the late Lucious Jackson, a San Marcos native who played on an NBA championship Philadelphia 76ers team with Wilt Chamberlain in the 1960s.

UTSA suspends men’s basketball coach Austin Claunch following his arrest on suspicion of DWI

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Editors’ note: This story was updated at 11:51 a.m. on Thursday

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

UTSA men’s basketball coach Austin Claunch has been suspended by the university effective Wednesday following his arrest Tuesday on suspicion of driving while intoxicated (DWI).

Austin Claunch. UTSA men's basketball practice on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, at the practice facility. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Austin Claunch ran practice on Wednesday prior to the announcement that he had been suspended by the university. – Photo by Joe Alexander

School officials are reviewing the circumstances and will determine appropriate next steps, including the length of his suspension, the release said.

Assistant coach Nick Bowman will serve as acting head coach during his absence. UTSA opens its season on Monday at San Jose State, the first of eight games for the Roadrunners in November.

The 36-year-old Claunch is coming off a disastrous 4-25 season and is 16-44 in two years as UTSA’s coach. Momentum for the program had ticked up since last spring with the addition of 14 new players in a 15-man roster.

UTSA’s play in preseason had been promising as the team had shown the ability to score in a fast-pace attack. The Roadrunners forged a 2-1 record in three preseason scrimmages, including an 85-73 win at Incarnate Word last weekend.

“UTSA Athletics holds its coaches, staff, and student-athletes to high standards of conduct and accountability,” the university’s release said. “We take this matter seriously and will address it in accordance with university policies and procedures.”

The statement included a comment attributed to Claunch, who apologized for “a grave error” in judgment.

“I deeply regret my actions and the disappointment I have caused,” he said. “I sincerely apologize to the young men I have the privilege of coaching, my fellow coaches and colleagues, President (Taylor) Eighmy, Dr. Lisa Campos and the entire Roadrunner community.

“I recognize the responsibility that comes with being a head coach and the example I am expected to set, both on and off the court. I fell short of those expectations, and for that, I am truly sorry.

“I take full responsibility for my decisions and am committed to learning from this experience and earning back the trust and confidence of those who have placed their faith in me.”

Claunch was arrested by Corpus Christi police at 6:12 a.m. Tuesday, a Nueces County spokeswoman said.

He was booked into Nueces County jail and released later in the day at 7:05 p.m., the spokeswoman added.

By Wednesday afternoon, he was back in San Antonio coaching the team and later was interviewed by the media at the practice facility. A few hours later, UTSA announced the arrest and the suspension in a release sent out on email.

According to information published in the wake of Claunch’s hire in the spring of 2024, he has three years remaining on a five-year contract. The deal runs through March 31, 2029.

In August of 2024, the UT System Board of Regents published details of the contract, which included possible annual compensation “in excess” of $1 million.

His base salary was listed at $400,000 annually, supplemented by $150,000 for media and fundraising appearances and a bonus package worth up to $500,000, according to the document.